Towards the end of 2021, GlenArbor Golf Club pro Rob Labritz punched his ticket to the PGA Tour Champions by winning its Q-School. An eight-time PGA Championship golfer and a three-time New York State Open winner, Labritz was finally consistently among the big boys.
He spent the next three seasons grinding away - picking up six top-10s and earning over $1.5 million - before his time on the seniors circuit came to a brutal end this week.
The situation was relatively clear for Labritz before play began. He was sat just outside of the top-72 golfers who would make it through to the Schwab Cup playoffs and likely needed his best result of the season to make it happen. Not only was a playoff tee time on the line, so was his status for 2025.
Labritz had finished 21st at the US Senior Open Championship - one of four top-25s in a difficult campaign - but felt he was playing well enough to improve on that result at the recent SAS Championship.
The gap to 72nd place was not insurmountable, but - ultimately - a T24th finish for the Hartford, Connecticut-born player and a T47th for Lee Janzen saw Labritz fall short by circa $20,000. He was heartbroken.
“I’m hurting right now.”@RobLabritzGolf finished just short of making the playoffs @SASChampionship.He was emotional while reflecting on his season and future ahead. pic.twitter.com/EHcxnzZipbOctober 14, 2024
Speaking in an interview which was shared by PGA Tour Champions shortly after he had finished, a highly emotional Labritz was asked "how bad does this hurt?"
Visibly upset, he replied: "You tell me. You tell me. I've got nothing to say. I played my ass off this year and played really crappy.
"I just had to miss an event due to my back injury and, you know, there it is. You cannot expect to come out here and play well injured. You have to come out here and be firing on all cylinders because you will get swallowed alive. Unfortunately, I got swallowed alive."
The interviewer then queried as to what might be next for Labritz. The 2006 New York State PGA Championship winner said: "I don't know. I don't know. I'll figure it out. Q-School, maybe. I don't know. I got a lot of thinking to do and... my game is getting better, but, unfortunately, it's not... I don't know what to say."
The club pro at GlenArbor Golf Club in Bedford Hills, New York had enjoyed a fine run on the PGA Tour Champions - especially during 2023 when he finished T4th at both the US Senior Open and Hoag Classic. There were two further top-fives to boast as well, plus six additional top-10s.
Trying to see the positives of a strong period on the senior circuit, Labritz said: "I spent three years out here with some of the top players on the planet. I got to know everybody. My game got better, my short game got better. Putting has always let me down.
"I made some friends and learned a lot. I had a good three-year run, you know? What are you going to say? I'm a club pro."
Despite a difficult 2024 campaign, Labritz was adamant he was still capable of lifting trophies.
He said: "Yeah, I know I can win out here - that's what sucks. And I don't get another opportunity to do it unless I get through Q-School again. So, yeah, I'm hurting right now. As high as I was when I won Q-School, I'm as low as that now."
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